Jeopardy in High Heels (High Heels #12) - Gemma Halliday Page 0,76

Farm.

* * *

By the time Dana dropped me back off at home, I realized it was almost four and Mama Ramirez was due to arrive soon to help with the kids. And I had to get ready for the Celebrity Jeopardy! Tournament finale taping.

I took a quick shower and made myself a peanut butter sandwich to sop up the glass of wine I'd had at the memorial. Then I blow dried my hair, did some product and curling iron action, and applied mascara and a coat of Raspberry Perfection lip gloss. I grabbed the new outfit I'd bought for the occasion—a pair of white palazzo pants in a soft chiffon with a sleeveless amethyst blouse. I added a pair of grey leather boots with a slender heel and was just topping the outfit off with gold hoop earrings and a rope bracelet when the doorbell rang.

"Coming," I yelled, expecting Mama Ramirez.

After a quick look in the mirror, I hurried down the hall, but the bell rang again before I could get there. My mother-in-law was in an impatient mood. "Coming!" I called again before I unlocked the door and flung it open.

Only, instead of finding Mama Ramirez smiling and waiting, I found myself face-to-face with Caitlyn Cross.

"You!" she yelled. She stabbed a finger in the center of my chest and shot me a look that made an icicle form between my shoulder blades. "You have some serious explaining to do!"

"Caitlyn?" I asked, looking past her to figure out just where she'd come from. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"What do you think I'm doing here?" she shot back, her voice laced with anger.

"I honestly haven't the foggiest idea," I told her with all truthfulness. "Or, for that matter, how you know where I live," I added, suddenly feeling uneasy.

"You put your address on your guest pass at Beach Body Sculpt," Caitlyn said. "And don't try to change the subject." She stormed past me inside.

Please come right in. It was tempting to push her back outside, but when I got a closer look at her bulging biceps, I squelched the urge. Even if I wanted to move her, there was no chance.

Caitlyn was dressed in her normal workout gear, which consisted of aqua colored leggings and a matching sports bra. Every part of her body was toned, muscular, and pulsating with veiny anger. She looked ready to bench press me.

"So what is the subject?" I asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I want to know what you and Blakely were talking about at the gym yesterday," she snapped, crossing her arms over her chest and taking a combative stance.

"We were just chatting. You know, about…stuff. Dog. Jeopardy!." My voice sounded shaky to my own ears. "See, my stepfather is a contestant—"

Caitlyn cut me off, her nostrils flaring. "Don't give me that garbage. I want the truth. She's been seeing him again, hasn't she?"

My mouth went dry. "No, of course not."

"You're a terrible liar," she sneered.

Oh boy. "Wh-what makes you think she was doing anything behind your back?" I said.

Her eyes narrowed. "I'm not stupid! I've seen all the signs. She gets nervous and jittery every time I say Dog's name. She was practically jumping out of her skin the first time you and your friend came around."

I licked my lips. "Maybe she just didn't like us bringing up the past?" I offered.

"She was sleeping with him. I know it. And after she promised! We made a pact that neither one of us would hook up with him again."

"I don't think she was hooking up with him." More like he was hooking her up.

But Caitlyn wasn't paying attention to me. She started pacing around my living room in a circle like a caged lion. "I can't believe I trusted her. I thought she was my friend!"

"Honestly, Blakely wasn't seeing Dog," I told her. Well, not in the way that she thought. But I hesitated to spill Blakely's secret.

Caitlyn's blue eyes shot up to meet mine, the intensity in them forcing me to take a step back. "So, you do know something, then. Blakely did confide in you."

"Noooooo. I mean, yes she did, but no, I don't know anything. I mean, nothing about Blakely sleeping with Dog. Which she wasn't."

She made a sound low in her throat like a growl. I could see the muscles in her legs go taut, poised as if to pounce on her prey.

I licked my lips, trying to think of a way to calm her down. "Uh, by the way,